45 Across

NYT Daily • August 31, 2025

More in need of a sticky roller

Answer:

LINTIER

Hint:

Not available

Explanation:

This clue plays on the idea of something being covered in lint, which you’d clean with a sticky roller. "Lintier" sounds like "lint-y" (full of lint) but is also a comparative form of "linty," meaning more covered in lint than something else. The wordplay turns a simple adjective into a humorous, exaggerated version to fit the "more in need" part of the clue.

More Clues from This Puzzle

85 Across

6 letters

Firmly planted

44 Down

3 letters

Base figure, for short

51 Down

5 letters

Airing

70 Down

3 letters

J.F.K. prediction